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Letís make Ethanís birthday special!

Thursday, 7 September 2017

Little Ethan McClean, with his sister Amy, mum Yvette and dad, Andy. An appeal has gone out for as many people as possible to send Ethan a birthday card next week. GB3610R

A BALLYMENA family is appealing to the local community to help give their very special ill little boy a birthday to remember next week!They want as many people as possible to send Ethan McClean a ninth birthday card to show him not all mail is for medical appointments.Ethan's birthday is next Thursday, September 14 but instead of the usual brown envelopes from the hospital, his parents want to fill the house with a sea of birthday colour!At just 18 months old, Ethan was diagnosed with the terminal life limiting illness Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), which wastes away the muscles.By the time he is 10-years-old, it is envisaged Ethan will be required to use a manual wheelchair full time, due to the loss of power in his legs.By his early teens, boys with Duchenne like Ethan usually require the use of a powered wheelchair due to the loss of power in his arm muscles.His life expectancy is currently mid to late teens and there is currently is no cure or treatment for his variant of the disease.Parents Andrew and Yvette would love to see their home filled with cards on his special day next week.Speaking to the Guardian they said: "This idea is not new and it may not be the last request you see like this, but we think it's something that Ethan would really love.“The reason we would like to do this is two fold. Firstly, the only post Ethan gets to the house is brown envelopes - medical appointments and lots of them. “We would like to change his perception that the only post he will get is for appointments. “Secondly, it looks like Ethan is heading for double knee surgery late this year or early next year to have both knees plated and pinned. *Read the full story in this week's Ballymena Guardian.